First Time Disney Cruise

[missycourteau]

What PAT times are typical with a first time cruiser? I'm assuming the earlier ones are taken by those that have cruised before. Thanks!

 

[BigredNole]

I would say they aren't going to be too late. You are correct though that the deck is stacked against first time cruisers. This is one of the reasons I am thinking of doing a B2B for our first cruise. This way we are one of the first ones on the ship on the 2nd one.

 

[mevelandry]

Some will have a priviledged check-in and get in first but...

Depending on how fast you register on check-in day, you could get an early PAT. You pick the one you want based upon availability.

I think they let people in around 11:00? All I know is we arrived right before the people were going to get in on our first cruise and we were group 22 and from the moment they let people get in, we waited about 30 minutes... Cabanas was sooo crowded and we had to wait for our room to be ready.

Then, on our second cruise we used the DCL shuttle from the resort (they start later). We arrived around 1:00 or 1:30 PM I think. No wait at luggage check. No wait for check-in, No wait to get in. We had room to eat in Cabanas. Our room was ready.

Honestly, I prefer getting there after 1:00 PM.

 

[wajones2]

It depends on what u want to book onboard (tastings, rainforest, character M&G etc) and how long your sailing is..the longer the sailing the more bookings available and people just seem less rushed to make on first day vs 3 or 4 night where everyone is racing to get the few available.

If there aren't any must haves you must book onboard, I vote for 1pm!

 

[mevelandry]

It depends on what u want to book onboard (tastings, rainforest, character M&G etc) and how long your sailing is..the longer the sailing the more bookings available and people just seem less rushed to make on first day vs 3 or 4 night where everyone is racing to get the few available.

If there aren't any must haves you must book onboard, I vote for 1pm!

We have been able to book Palo brunch and wine tasting on a 4 nights sold out cruise, though.

Also with the new option of advanced bookings for some characters meet and greet, I feel like departing day will be more relaxing.

 

[missycourteau]

It depends on what u want to book onboard (tastings, rainforest, character M&G etc) and how long your sailing is..the longer the sailing the more bookings available and people just seem less rushed to make on first day vs 3 or 4 night where everyone is racing to get the few available.

If there aren't any must haves you must book onboard, I vote for 1pm!

We are doing a 4 day cruise for our first time. I don't think were going to do any tastings, and my boys are not wanting to do any of the princess M&G. Were really going to just be enjoying the ship for our first time. I don't think were even going to get off at Nassau I'm hoping everyone loves it and we will do a longer cruise next year, keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[imahistorygeek]

We've had good luck with PAT. They've always been before 11. For our first cruise, we checked in right when it opened up online. I think our PAT was 10:45. There's probably many factors regarding what you'll receive...time of year, time of online check-in, # of passengers. This is all speculation on my part and based on past experience.

 

[lanejudy]

As to PAT availability for first-time cruisers, it really depends on the make-up of your cruise -- if there are a lot of returning cruisers and what their arrival plans may be. Our first cruise we were able to secure the earliest PAT, and I forgot about online check-in until sometime that afternoon (so definitely not the first online at midnight). Some cruises with lots of CC members may have the early times all taken, but if that happens just keep looking as people change plans.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[hanscarlet]

I think it's reasonable that if you check in online early that you can get a noon PAT and you get to the port around 11:30 that you can get on the boat between noon and 1pm. Honestly on all my cruises, the arrival time/port experience feels the same, even when you get there early, they don't allow boarding until 11am and it feels like an hour after that when it gets around your boarding time so no matter what time I've had, I have always gotten on the boat around noon-ish

 

[jne7043]

We are first time cruisers and did our online check in in July. I stayed up until midnight to check in and got a 10:45 PAT.

 

[missycourteau]

We are first time cruisers and did our online check in in July. I stayed up until midnight to check in and got a 10:45 PAT.

Good to hear!! That is my plan also, do bookings when they first open, keeping my fingers crossed!!!

 

[The Sasquatch]

Honestly, your PAT is not as important as so many people think. I know everyone is excited to get on the boat as soon as they can but they are pretty good about basically clearing the terminal in a hour or two. You might actually find it nicer to come just a bit later to find and empty terminal and the ability to just walk on.

 

[CaleCakes]

Sometimes these acronyms throw me off. I'm sorry, but what is PAT? I gather it has something to do with boarding.

I just booked our first Disney cruise and even though we've been on at least 10 Princess and Celebrity cruises each line is different and I feel I have a lot to learn about the way Disney works. On the other lines I've never checked in the day before. We just show up at the terminal, get in line and walk on the ship. What should I expect to be different on Disney?

Also, if you wouldn't mind, could someone point me in the direction where to find info on event on board I'd have to pre book. Not spa or tastings, but do I have to book character meet and greets or regular dining? I tried the website under my booking but it didn't show anything.

Thank you in advance

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Sometimes these acronyms throw me off. I'm sorry, but what is PAT? I gather it has something to do with boarding.

I just booked our first Disney cruise and even though we've been on at least 10 Princess and Celebrity cruises each line is different and I feel I have a lot to learn about the way Disney works. On the other lines I've never checked in the day before. We just show up at the terminal, get in line and walk on the ship. What should I expect to be different on Disney?

Also, if you wouldn't mind, could someone point me in the direction where to find info on event on board I'd have to pre book. Not spa or tastings, but do I have to book character meet and greets or regular dining? I tried the website under my booking but it didn't show anything.

Thank you in advance

PAT = Port Arrival Time. You select this during your online check in process. They are 15 minute windows that people choose based on when they feel they will be arriving at the port to check in there. It helps spread the crowd out.

The excursions and meet & greet offerings are not available to you until your booking window opens. For a first time cruiser it's at 75 days out. The Meet & Greets and Character breakfast are under "Onboard activities" in the excursion booking window.

Regular dining is assigned, you select a seating time when you make your reservation.

 

[poohs4me]

My dad and step-mom were first time cruisers for a spring break cruise and they got a 10:45 PAT. They stayed up and did that before the other items.

 

[Shanti]

What PAT times are typical with a first time cruiser? I'm assuming the earlier ones are taken by those that have cruised before. Thanks!

We got a morning PAT on our first cruise, which was on the Magic out of Miami this past New Year's. We were on the ship fairly quickly, once boarding began.

 

[Sweetsarj]

We were first time cruisers on Disney this past May and got PAT of 1030

 

[CaleCakes]

PAT = Port Arrival Time. You select this during your online check in process. They are 15 minute windows that people choose based on when they feel they will be arriving at the port to check in there. It helps spread the crowd out.

The excursions and meet & greet offerings are not available to you until your booking window opens. For a first time cruiser it's at 75 days out. The Meet & Greets and Character breakfast are under "Onboard activities" in the excursion booking window.

Regular dining is assigned, you select a seating time when you make your reservation.

Thank you so much now I feel like I'm in the loop!

 

[gwmort]

We were first time cruisers on the Aug 13 Med cruise. I did online check in the first day I could and had a PAT of 12:30. I had a disney transfer from the airport to the port terminal which got us there about 11:00. We checked in at the terminal and were boarding group 24, at about 11:30 they were on group 18, I am pretty sure we were on by noon-ish.

My mom and aunt were on the same cruise but are gold CC members, coincidentally arrived at port terminal same time as us, checked in faster with preferred line and were group 7 so they just strolled onto the ship at 11:30.

Other than the modest wait in the terminal it didn't seem to make a big difference.